{"id":13720,"date":"2026-11-09T11:29:28","date_gmt":"2026-11-09T08:29:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/?p=13720"},"modified":"2026-11-12T11:36:51","modified_gmt":"2026-11-12T08:36:51","slug":"bfr-xxxvi-revision-october-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/bfr-xxxvi-revision-october-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"BfR Recommendation XXXVI Revised in October 2026: PFAS Entries Removed and Stricter Rules for Genotoxic Impurities"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) has published a new revision of Recommendation XXXVI on paper, board and cardboard for food contact, dated <strong>1 October 2026<\/strong>. The <a href=\"https:\/\/empfehlungen.bfr.bund.de\/pdf\/LAST_AMENDMENT_OF_RECOMMENDATIONS\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">232nd BfR communication<\/a>\u00a0also updates the three special recommendations XXXVI\/1 (cooking and hot-filter papers), XXXVI\/2 (baking papers and boards) and XXXVI\/3 (absorbent pads). Since there is still no specific EU-wide measure for paper and board in contact with food, BfR XXXVI remains the main reference for compliance across Europe and changes to it affect paper converters, chemical suppliers and food producers well beyond Germany.<\/p><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_87 ez-toc-wrap-center counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title ez-toc-toggle\" style=\"cursor:pointer\">TABLE OF CONTENTS<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/bfr-xxxvi-revision-october-2026\/#PFAS_Entries_Removed\" >PFAS Entries Removed<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/bfr-xxxvi-revision-october-2026\/#A_New_Rule_for_Genotoxic_Impurities\" >A New Rule for Genotoxic Impurities<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/bfr-xxxvi-revision-october-2026\/#New_and_Amended_Substances\" >New and Amended Substances<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/bfr-xxxvi-revision-october-2026\/#Changes_to_XXXVI1_XXXVI2_and_XXXVI3\" >Changes to XXXVI\/1, XXXVI\/2 and XXXVI\/3<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/bfr-xxxvi-revision-october-2026\/#What_Has_Not_Changed_Yet\" >What Has Not Changed Yet<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/bfr-xxxvi-revision-october-2026\/#Conclusion\" >Conclusion<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"PFAS_Entries_Removed\"><\/span><strong>PFAS Entries Removed<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The most visible change concerns per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. Thirteen entries in section C.IV of Recommendation XXXVI (surface finishing agents) have been deleted, together with three entries in XXXVI\/2 for baking papers. BfR explains the deletions with reference to the restriction on PFHxA under Regulation (EU) 2024\/2462 and to the PPWR, Regulation (EU) 2025\/40, which has restricted PFAS in food contact packaging since 12 August 2026.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In practice, the recommendation now matches the legal situation: fluorinated grease barriers can no longer be presented as compliant with BfR XXXVI. Companies that still refer to these entries in specifications or declarations need to update their documentation.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_New_Rule_for_Genotoxic_Impurities\"><\/span><strong>A New Rule for Genotoxic Impurities<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">A new preliminary remark (Vorbemerkung 15) addresses genotoxic carcinogens that may be present as impurities, reaction products or degradation products, such as certain primary aromatic amines and 1,3-dichloro-2-propanol (1,3-DCP). For these substances, the recommendation sets specific detection limits, states that measurement uncertainty must not be applied and sets the goal that no migration above <strong>0.15 \u00b5g\/kg<\/strong> food should be detectable. The same remark is added to XXXVI\/1, XXXVI\/2 and XXXVI\/3.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Two footnotes are rewritten along the same lines:<\/p>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li><strong>1,3-DCP:<\/strong> it must not be detectable in the cold-water extract, with a detection limit of <strong>1 \u00b5g\/l<\/strong>, or <strong>2 \u00b5g\/l<\/strong> for kitchen paper rolls. 3-MCPD should be kept as low as technically possible, with a guide value of <strong>12 \u00b5g\/l<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Cationisers:<\/strong> migration above <strong>0.15 \u00b5g\/kg<\/strong> must not be detectable, with a maximum detection limit of <strong>2 \u00b5g\/kg<\/strong>, while specific migration limits apply to certain reaction products.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">For manufacturers, this places more weight on the sensitivity of the analytical method, since compliance is now judged against defined detection limits without a margin for measurement uncertainty.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"New_and_Amended_Substances\"><\/span><strong>New and Amended Substances<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The revision also updates several entries in the list of authorized substances:<\/p>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li><strong>Retention aids:<\/strong> two new copolymers are added, with maximum use levels of <strong>0.2 % <\/strong>and <strong>0.5 %<\/strong>. For the second, N,N&#8217;-methylenebis(acrylamide) must not be detectable in the food simulant.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Surface finishing agents:<\/strong> wax-free shellac (max. 4.5 mg\/dm\u00b2, with purity requirements and limits for arsenic and lead) and aluminium hydroxide made from trimethylaluminium and water (max. layer thickness 8 nm) are added.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Chitosan extract:<\/strong> the maximum application rate rises from <strong>2.6 %<\/strong> to <strong>3.8 %<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Antifoaming agents:<\/strong> a new type of distillation residue from long-chain alcohol production is added, with a combined use limit and a migration limit of <strong>5 mg\/kg.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Antimicrobials:<\/strong> for 2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1,3-diol, the requirement of non-detectability in the extract is replaced by a migration limit of 0.05 mg\/kg for the sum with 2-bromo-2-nitroethanol.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-13717\" src=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/1.1-1024x768.png\" alt=\"Used paper cups, a pizza box and a molded pulp cup holder, paper and board food packaging covered by BfR Recommendation XXXVI\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/1.1-1024x768.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/1.1-300x225.png 300w, https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/1.1-768x576.png 768w, https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/1.1.png 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Changes_to_XXXVI1_XXXVI2_and_XXXVI3\"><\/span><strong>Changes to XXXVI\/1, XXXVI\/2 and XXXVI\/3<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The special recommendations follow the same direction. All three receive the new remark on genotoxic impurities and the updated entry for 2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1,3-diol. In addition:<\/p>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li><strong>XXXVI\/1 (cooking and hot-filter papers):<\/strong> an ammonium chloride\/sodium hypochlorite adduct is now permitted as an antimicrobial agent. The cationiser footnote is rewritten.<\/li>\n<li><strong>XXXVI\/2 (baking papers and boards):<\/strong> three PFAS entries are deleted, three duplicate entries are removed and the cationiser footnote is rewritten.<\/li>\n<li><strong>XXXVI\/3 (absorbent pads):<\/strong> the preservative entry is updated.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Has_Not_Changed_Yet\"><\/span><strong>What Has Not Changed Yet<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Earlier this year, BfR consulted on a structural overhaul that would merge the four paper recommendations into a single document, presented in tables with CAS numbers. As we explained in our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/bfr-recommendations-consultation-closes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">article<\/a> on the consultation on the BfR paper recommendations, that change would affect how substances are identified in compliance documents. The October 2026 version does not implement it: XXXVI and its three special recommendations remain separate documents in their existing format. Operators should therefore expect a further revision.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conclusion\"><\/span><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The October 2026 revision brings BfR XXXVI in line with EU rules on PFAS and tightens the approach to genotoxic impurities, while adding a small number of new substances. BfR recommendations are not legally binding, but they are widely used to demonstrate compliance with Article 3 of Regulation (EC) No 1935\/2004. Companies that rely on them should check their formulations against the deleted entries, review whether their analytical methods meet the new detection limits and update declarations that refer to the recommendations.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The BfR has revised Recommendation XXXVI on paper and board for food contact, removing PFAS entries, introducing stricter rules for genotoxic impurities and updating several substances in XXXVI and its special recommendations.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":13717,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28,545],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13720","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-en","category-packaging-legislation-en","category-28","category-545","description-off"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13720","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13720"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13720\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13722,"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13720\/revisions\/13722"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13717"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13720"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13720"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13720"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}